Sunday, February 27, 2011

SPL Today: Two From The Top And Two From The Middle

Back to our local squabbles over the destination of the SPL title today. And, in Motherwell and St Johnstone, a couple of teams who are still very much involved in the race for the top six.

Neil Lennon might just have greeted Rangers’ European progress with a smile. For all Walter Smith’s protestations the extra European ties are going to further drain his resources at an important time of the season.

Motherwell v Celtic

Stuart McCall’s reign at Motherwell has brought a real mixture-maxture of results with the odd win tossed in with losing at home to St Mirren and getting a six walloping at Ibrox.

All which will rightly make McCall somewhat nervous about the visit of a Celtic team who contine to greedily snaffle points as they eye up Neil Lennon’s first managerial championship.

I expect Motherwell to fight the good fight today, to offer more resistance than they did in that disaster against Rangers.

But I can’t see past another three points for Celtic in a comfortable away win.

Rangers v St Johnstone

After the drama of their last gasp European success Rangers return to the day-to-day business of playing catch up in the SPL. They will be further heartened by Hearts’ failure to win yesterday, allowing Rangers to retain the psychological advantage of second place.

St Johnstone, still very much involved in the pre-split machinations, could welcome new signing Danny Invincibile into a squad that has been hampered by toothlessness for much of the season.

Two teams fighting different battles but both searching for the consistency that will help them realise their aims for the season.

In the normal course of events this would be a banker home win. But this hasn’t been the most normal of seasons. I can’t see St Johnstone winning this game but I can see them frustrating Rangers to a draw.